Being an NBA coach isn't easy. Criticism comes from everywhere, and it's a lot easier for an underperforming team to fire the coach rather than switch out the players or general manager.
That has led to the life cycle of coaches lasting just a few years. Erik Spoelstra and Steve Kerr are the only head coaches who have real job security. No other coach in the league has been at his current spot for more than six years. Five of the league's 30 coaches didn't even make it through last season. New Orleans Pelicans coach Willie Green lasted just 12 games this season.
Some more will surely follow during the 2025-26 season. Here are the best candidates to fill those open future positions.
1. Tom Thibodeau
NBA Entertainment
Regular season record: 578-420
Playoff record: 48-55
Thibs has 13 years of head coaching experience, and he's proven to be a huge floor raiser during the regular season. He always gets the most out of his guys, who will run through a wall for him. He's the most prepared coach in the NBA and a total basketball junkie.
There are some problems that come with hiring him. His teams have a tendency to flame out late in the year, although he has been to two conference finals. Those postseason issues are in part due to playing his guys heavy minutes and giving his stars a ton of responsibility. He's also a stubborn coach who hasn't always gotten along well with everyone in an organization.
Despite those flaws, Thibs is a basketball genius and a known commodity. The two-time Coach of the Year shouldn't stay unemployed for long.
2. Becky Hammon
Regular season record: n/a
Playoff record: n/a
Hammon is already a WNBA coaching legend after just four seasons as a head coach. Three rings and a Coach of the Year award during that span will do that for you.
Hammon was a star player in that league too, making the Hall of Fame as a heady point guard. She's used those skills to become one of the best tacticians in the world. Working under Gregg Popovich with the Spurs for eight seasons certainly helped.
Hammon has gotten interviews and head coaching buzz before in the NBA. She seems very happy with her WNBA gig, so it would have to be a great opportunity for her to leave the Las Vegas Aces.
3. Taylor Jenkins
Regular season record: 250-214
Playoff record: 9-14
Jenkins was a surprise fire at the end of last season. His Grizzlies teams generally overachieved, and he had them at a 44-29 record when he was let go.
Jenkins has risen from the ranks, putting in work as an assistant coach. He's been fantastic at player development, helping the Grizzlies become one of the deepest and best drafting teams. And he's known as a creative offensive coach who is great at drawing up end-of-game plays.
4. Michael Malone
NBA Entertainment
Regular season record: 510-394
Playoff record: 44-36, 1 NBA title
Malone was shockingly fired just two seasons after leading the Nuggets to their first title in franchise history. He's a hard-nosed coach who can be tough on his players, but will also go to bat for them with his fiery personality. He's never afraid to speak the truth.
Malone has been a pretty good coach both with the Kings and Nuggets. His corner offense is a fun watch, where ball movement and passing from the center position are prioritized. He's been willing to adjust his defenses to his personnel, and it's hard to point to any particular series where he's been outcoached.
Most importantly, he knows how to get his teams to the promised land. He has expressed a desire to coach again while he works as an analyst for ESPN, and he will get that opportunity one day.
5. Mike Budenholzer
NBA Entertainment
Regular season record: 520-363
Playoff record: 56-48, 1 NBA title
Coach Bud is one of the best regular season coaches in NBA history. He's won two Coach of the Year awards and an NBA championship with the Bucks. He was way ahead of the curve with how to design modern NBA offenses, thanks in part to his 17 seasons working as an assistant under Popovich. His teams play an analytically-friendly style that is brutally efficient.
Bud has gotten criticism for not being capable of making enough adjustments in the playoffs. While he did win that ring in Milwaukee, he also had several notable flameouts and disappointing finishes to the season as a coach with the Hawks. His one season with the Suns was a complete disaster, and he lost the locker room quickly.
That one bad year shouldn't discount the decade of success he had beforehand. He's not a perfect coach, but he's a good one.
6. Chris Quinn
Regular season record: n/a
Playoff record: n/a
Everyone in the league knows Quinn, even if the average fan doesn't. He earned his stripes with a six-year run as a try-hard role player and then spent the next 11 years climbing the coaching ladder with the Heat.
Quinn didn't catch any breaks; he started at the bottom as a player development coach. His dedication and skill eventually made him Erik Spoelstra's top assistant. He has a proven ability to take the reins, exemplified by his leadership in the 144-115 win over the Hornets three seasons ago when Spoelstra was out.
After interviewing with the Nets and the Hornets (twice), Quinn has a head coaching job in his future. He's prepared to take what he's learned under one of the NBA's premier coaches and lead his own team.
7. Terry Stotts
Regular season record: 517-486
Playoff record: 23-44
If you need proof of Terry Stotts' coaching ability, just look at his resume: eight consecutive playoff appearances and a trip to the conference finals with the Trail Blazers. He is a known quantity in the NBA.
Stotts didn't slow down after Portland. As an assistant with the Warriors, he has introduced his challenging blocker-mover offense, which created an offensive revival for the team. The success of that scheme should make Stotts a highly sought-after head coaching candidate once again.
8. Jeff Van Gundy
Regular season record: 430-318
Playoff record: 44-44
Van Gundy hasn't been a head coach since 2007. He has popped back on the radar due to a fantastic job leading the Clippers' defense. He's an old school coach who is direct with players and demands accountability. He has adjusted with the times though, understanding the changes that have occurred in the game.
At 63 years old, Van Gundy's age might turn off some teams. He's shown an ability to relate to younger players though, and he's well-respected for his basketball acumen throughout the league.
MORE: Jeff Van Gundy has Clippers defense humming
9. Sam Cassell
Regular season record: n/a
Playoff record: n/a
Sam Cassell's 15-year NBA playing career as an undersized point guard was defined by his toughness and basketball intelligence. This foundation allowed him to transition seamlessly into a 15-year assistant coaching career with the Wizards, Clippers, 76ers, and Celtics.
His coaching acumen has been widely recognized: he placed highly in John Schuhmann's annual GM survey for best assistant coach, showing up in the top four names over the past three seasons. His success has already led to interest in head coaching roles, including an interview with the Rockets in 2023.
10. James Borrego
Regular season record: 148-183 (.447)
Playoff record: 0-0
Borrego is a respected tactician whose final season with the Charlotte Hornets saw the team overachieve with 43 wins. However, he was ultimately fired because the team failed to clear the hurdle into the playoffs, twice suffering blowouts in the Play-In Tournament. The franchise immediately collapsed after his departure, dropping to just 27 wins the following season under Steve Clifford.
Borrego's credentials include two championship rings earned as a staff member with Popovich's Spurs teams. He is currently the associate head coach for the Pelicans.
11. Mark Jackson
Regular season record: 121-109 (.526)
Playoff record: 9-10 (.474)
Jackson remains a prominent figure in the NBA, even though he hasn't coached since 2014. The 17-year league veteran was known as one of the league's headiest point guards during his playing career and is credited with building the foundation of the Golden State Warriors before Steve Kerr took over.
Jackson's coaching tenure with the Warriors was marred by controversy. He faced criticism for difficulty getting along with people in the organization, sparring with his assistants, and allegedly turning the team against Festus Ezeli.
Despite his critics, he still has the support of former players, most notably Stephen Curry. This backing suggests a team might be willing to give him a second chance.
12. Micah Nori
Regular season record: n/a
Playoff record: n/a
Nori is considered one of the top assistant coaches in the NBA, as evidenced by his No. 1 spot in the NBA General Managers survey for best assistant coach over the past two seasons.
Now in his 17th year of coaching, Nori has gained valuable experience with multiple organizations, including the Raptors, Kings, Nuggets, and his current team, the Timberwolves. He's known as a strong defensive coach and has also become recognized in Minnesota for his unique, highly descriptive in-game interviews where he openly explains the team's strategies.
Off the court, Nori has a personal coaching success story: he developed his son, Dante, who was a first-round pick of the Philadelphia Phillies and is in their minor league system.